BUCHAREST, May 4, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - Eleven candidates are standing in Romania's presidential election first round on Sunday, a tense rerun of a vote annulled last year over claims of Russian interference.

Polls give the edge to far-right leader George Simion -- a vocal supporter of the now-barred Calin Georgescu, who won last November's scrapped first round.

Three other main candidates are vying to face Simion in a likely second round vote on May 18.

- Georgescu's far-right replacement -
Simion, who heads the far-right AUR party, is the only top candidate to have participated in last year's vote, where he came fourth with around 14 percent.

A fan of US President Donald Trump -- he attended his inauguration -- several opinion polls suggest he stands to double his votes now that Georgescu has been barred.

Although Georgescu has not publicly endorsed the AUR leader, Simion, 38, claims to have his support.

But prosecutors are investigating Simion for allegedly inciting violence after calling for the "public skinning" of those who annulled last year's vote.

While he has frequently denounced Russian President Vladimir Putin as a "war criminal", the EU critic opposes sending military aid to neighbouring Ukraine and wants Romania, a crucial NATO member, to cut support for Ukrainian refugees.

- Pro-European Bucharest mayor -
Pro-European Bucharest mayor Nicusor Dan has campaigned on the promise of bringing "change" and "honesty" to Romania after the "shock" vote annulment.

Running as an independent, the 55-year-old mathematician who was re-elected for a second term as mayor in 2024 has decried a "corrupt" and "arrogant" political establishment in power since the end of Communism almost four decades ago.

Arguing that NATO is the country's "best shield", he has also voiced support for Ukraine in its fight against "unfriendly" Russia and vowed to strengthen Romania's "strategic ties with the US".

Known for carefully weighing his words, the reformer and former activist has pledged he will not make "populist promises" that are never kept.

- Ruling coalition candidate -
Crin Antonescu, who has the support of Romania's governing pro-European coalition, presents himself as "the candidate of stability".

Running on the slogan "Romania forward", the 65-year-old former history teacher has vowed to uphold the country's pro-Western orientation.

Known as a strong public speaker, Antonescu has served as sports minister, president of the Senate and interim president in 2012.

He has said he detests populism, but recently came under fire for saying he would "shoot drug dealers in a stadium, like in China". Antonescu later said he regretted the "unfortunate expression".

He has also faced backlash for comments he made during a TV debate that were deemed sexist.

- Pro-US former PM -
Forced to resign as prime minister in 2015 following massive anti-corruption protests against his Social Democrats-led government, sparked by a deadly nightclub fire, Victor Ponta says he has changed and is running as an independent.

The pro-US candidate is campaigning on a "Romania First" platform, echoing the slogan of Trump's "Make America Great Again" movement.

In recent days, 52-year-old Ponta appeared alongside the US president's eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., who was touring Eastern Europe.

Dubbed by analysts as a "political chameleon", the self-described "very pro-European" politician has warned he would stop helping Ukraine export its grains if it "destroys Romanian agriculture".

Ponta -- who likes to swear on a Bible to emphasise that he is telling the truth -- has slammed the exclusion of Georgescu in the election re-run, vowing to halt investigations into the banned far-right politician and touting him as a potential future prime minister.